Gagne joins Red Bull Honda for full 2018 WSBK campaign

Jake Gagne will make the full-time switch to the World Superbike championship for 2018 with the Red Bull Honda squad after impressing during his replacement riders this year.

Jake Gagne will make the full-time switch to the World Superbike championship for 2018 with the Red Bull Honda squad as Leon Camier’s team-mate after impressing during replacement riders this season.

The Red Bull-backed American rider will move from MotoAmerica to WSBK next year to complete the Ten Kate Racing-run squad’s rider line-up alongside the experience Camier. Gagne made his series debut at Laguna Seca last July and scored a pair of 15th places stepping in for the team after the tragic passing of Nicky Hayden.

Gagne returned as replacement rider for Red Bull Honda for the French and Qatar rounds with three additional points finishes, while he ended the MotoAmerica season 11th in the riders’ championship.

The American rider is delighted to secure a full-time WSBK move and is eager to build on his three outings from this season.

"It’s really a dream come true to have the chance to contest a full World Superbike season with the Red Bull Honda World Superbike team," Gagne said. "I cannot thank Red Bull, Honda and Ten Kate enough for the opportunity to race the Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2 over three rounds this year.

"I have learned so much from them and I got to know them quite well, so I’m looking forward to getting going again. 2018 will be an exciting year for me, with a lot of travelling and racing on some of the best race tracks in the world. I want to thank again everyone involved for this incredible opportunity, and I feel I’m ready for the challenge ahead!"

"We are delighted to have Jake on board for the 2018 season," Marco Chini, Honda WorldSBK Operations Manager, added. "He picked up the challenge this year and jumped on our Fireblade without prior testing and did well at Laguna Seca, and later showed his talent at tracks he had never raced before.

"He is young, gifted and a great guy, so he’s the right choice for the team to ride alongside Leon. We look forward to seeing him on track very soon and we’re sure American fans will be happy to cheer him on."